Golf-club shaft



J. F. BABBITT GOLF CLUB SHAFT Filed Feb. 5', 1927 May 31, 1927.

J. F. BABBITT GOLF CLUB SHAFT Filed FebFS, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2lueni'oz John Efiaii'l',

/ Atty.

Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1 1,630,249 PATENT oFFlcE.

Jomvr. BABBITT, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO J. v.- rrnonnn, or

" LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. I

eons-CLUB sHAF'r.

Application fi led February-3, 1927. Serial No. 165,730.

Heretofore golfclubs, as customarily man.- ufactured, have had theirshafts provided with a hand grasp covering of flexible material which isusually of leather and applied.

in the shape of a helically wound strip, the ends of which are boundwith waxed thread or twine to prevent loosening or wear.

The wear caused by removal of the clubs from the bag and replacementtherein rap- -1o idly wears or loosens this binding, and necessitatesthe frequent replacement of the binding, causing annoyance and expense.

My present invention aims to provide a shaft which will be free fromthis objection,

and said invention includes the novel article and method of producingthe same hereinafter described and defined by 'the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference ismade to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shaft partly broken away, and withferrule and die members shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the. cap or ferrule members as they apcar after having been shaped by the dies 0 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the completion of the capor ferruleapplying.

3 Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the completed article partly brokenaway.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating the application of amodified form of outer ca or ferrule. Y

ig. 7 illustrates a further modification. Figs. 8 and 9 are detailsillustrating a modification of the inner cap or ferrule.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings, the numeral 1 (Fig.4) designates 40 the shaft (of wood or metal) and 2 the hand gripcovering thereof, shown as the customary helically wound strip ofleather. 3

designates a metal cap or ferrule applied to the outer end of the shaftwith its edge in gripping engagement with the leather covermg andembedded therein so asv to be flush therewith, this cap or ferrule beingpreferably flared outwardly so as to provide an annular enlargement forengagement with .50 the side of the hand.

4 designates the ferrule applied over the inner end of the winding "orcovering 2 which has one edge 4 in gripping engagement with the coveringand embedded therein and the other edge 4" turned over the edge of. saidcovering 2 and impinging against the surface of the shaft.

In applying these ferrules I proceed in the following manner. PreferablyI first'appl to the ends of the covering 2 the usual wind ing ofwaxedthread or the like indicated at 5 and 5 to prevent any possibledisplacement of the covering during the application of the ferrules. Theend cap or ferrule has its cylindrical wall slipped over the end of theshaft which as shown in Fig. 1 has an outwardly flared portion oftruncated cone shape.

Thereupon two segmental die members 6 are brought together about the.shaft below the ferrule, thereby providing the tapered annular cavity 6,and, these die members being properly-supported, a closing punch 7 isbrought down upon the head of the cap or ferrule which forces the skirtof the ferrule into the die cavity and contracts the same, so that whenremoved from the die it has the appearance shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter Isubject it to the action of a forming roller or rollers 0 (preferablythree, but only one being shown for convenience) which cause the edge 3to be forced inward and embedded in the leather until the outer face of.the skirt of the ferrule is flush with the face of the covering asclearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Where the shaft has a cylindrical end, as shown in Fig. 4, the cap mayhave the shape shown at 3 of Fig. 5 imparted to it before it is appliedto the shaft, whereafter its marginal edge is rolled down to embed it inthe leather as shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 1 the ferrule t is shown applied to the shaft in the shape of acylindrical ring before the club head is applied.

Thereafter by the, use of segmental die members 8 and presser members 9.the ferrule is shrunk into the shape shown in Fig. 2, whereupon it isslipped up into engagement with the lower end of the wrapping 2 androlled down into engagement therewith IOU (Fig. 3) until the upper edge4" is embedded "no enlargement at their lower ends (such as 1*, Fig. 1)the ferrule may be preformed with a reduced portion 4, Fig. toaccurately fit the portion of the shaft ust/below the wrapping, whichonly necessitates rolling the upper edge into engagement wit thewrapping as shown in Fig. 9.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: g

1. A golf club shaft having a wrapping of flexible material and ferrulescompressed upon said wrapping at opposite ends thereof.

2. A golf club shaft having a wrapping of flexible material .andferrules compressed upon said wrapping at opposite ends thereof, theferrule at the inner end of the wrapping having one edge embedded in thewrapping and the other edge turned over the edge of the wrapping.

, 3. A golf club shaft having a hand grip wrapping and an end ferrule incompressed engagement therewith, said-ferrule having an enlarged orflared outer end.

4. A golf club shaft having a hand grip wrapping of leather or similarmaterial and a ferrule overlapping the end of the same and having itsedge embedded therein so as to be flush with the surface thereof.

5. The method of protecting the wrap-. pings of golf club shafts whichconsists in applying a ferrule over the end of said wrapping and thencompressing it thereon.

6. The method of "protecting the" wrappings of golf club shafts whichconsists in applying a ferrule over the end of-said wrapping and thencompressing it thereon,

until the edge of the ferrule is embedded in the covering. I

7. The method of protecting the wrapping of golf club shafts whichconsists in applying aferrule to the shaft, die shrinking the ferrulewhile thereon, and thereafter rolling the edgeintoembeclded relation tosaid wrapping.

8. A golf club shaft having a wrapping of flexible material and ferrulescompressed upon said wrapping at opposite ends thereof, said ferruleshaving their inner faces provided with grooves orcorrugations.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOHN F. BABB ITT.

